Empaths Part 2: Preparing for Crowd Trauma

In part one of this series I dealt with the signs that indicate you may be an empath. In part 2 the focus will be on how to maintain when you are in crowds where there is a lot of negativity. Depending on the culture you have been exposed to you may have head the following: In today's culture terms such as positive and negative vibes or energy are popular. In some church denominations they teach that people can drain your spirit or attempt to decrease the "anointing" or power of the Creator that is flowing through you. Healthprep suggests that empaths learn how to handle their extreme sensitivity because we often feel worse than the individual we are feeling empathetic about. This causes those who have this unique ability to feel as if they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders.

I have found that sometimes you have to go with your emotions to a certain extent. I was recently told of a child who might have to spend Thanksgiving in a group home, alone except for the staff. I immediately thought of the song "I'm all alone in the world" from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, and I began sobbing like a baby. That scene in the holiday cartoon had always gotten next to me and I have cried when watching this in the past. This time, the thought of a lone child with no family for the holiday simply tore me up. In the Pentecostal churches where empathetic individuals are referred to as Intercessors, they teach that when you have these overwhelming emotions, you are to pray for the person or situation until you experience a release from the sadness.

Psychocentral suggests accessing your situation and cutting off people and relationships that drain you. They also emphasize the importance of prioritizing for empaths so they don't get so overwhelmed. I have found that moving along and not sitting still and allowing the feelings to overtake me is helpful. Often I will tell my husband that I have one of my feelings and that I might be crying or overwhelmed. This way he will know that my extreme emotions don't indicate that anything is wrong with me. Psychocentral says balance is the key. When you identify the situations that drain you, if you cannot avoid them, then counter them with events that make you joyful.

Crowds can be a problem for empaths because they are so sensitive. The varied emotions in a room full of people can be like a scene from television shows where it seems like everyone is talking at once and the person who is at the center of the program puts his hands over his ears in frustration trying to shut it all out. I walked into a convenience store one day and could hardy get though the aisles. There were a lot of people who were all talking loudly and a few smelled as if they were drinking. By the time I got to the counter, I felt confused and almost walked away without my change. Hospital waiting rooms are also difficult. To combat this I try to mentally prepare myself before going out, take deep breaths and always have something to focus on.

Judith Orloff MD says empaths need to protect their energy and suggests visualizing that you are breathing in calm air and exhaling negativity. In some church circles protecting energy would be referred to as guarding your anointing and again the advice is to stay away from people and places you know will pull on you. I have even heard it said that negativity can transfer when you hug someone, so the bottom line is protecting yourself and your gift. Try to keep yourself away from situations that you know will drain you. Orloff says it all else fails, take a bath or shower and cleanse yourself physically.

I know an empath who cannot ride buses or cabs and cannot sit in any seat after someone else just got out of it. He says he can feel and smell other people's essence and it makes him ill. He has not yet fully embraced who he is and has been diagnosed with mental health issues and is on medication. He is so paranoid of the things he perceives that he is practically a recluse. This is why it is important to recognize the signs that you are an empath that are outlined in part one and learn to adjust yourself accordingly. Sometimes you must have the attitude that nothing will pull at your spirit.

I knew a teenage girl in 1976, who walked outdoors in the snow, and all the way around the high school building to avoid problems. There was a hallway where some teenage boys would stand, in between classes and hurl insults at her because she was heavy. To avoid the abuse, she took the long way in hash weather and it prevented her from hearing things that were damaging. When you find you cannot avoid crowds or troublesome situations, try conscious breathing.

This is simple and can be done anywhere without anyone even noticing. What you do is slowly inhale through the nose, hold for five or six seconds then let it out slowly through the mouth in sets of 10. The one thing to glean from all of this is that you gift is real, and should be protected at all costs. Others may not understand but that's OK. You were chosen for this so be your best at it. You can survive large crowds at the office, the mall, public transportation, and anywhere else by guarding what you have been entrusted with.